.Qr9-1 



\ 



LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 




QDD153E5T3a4 



t T «• _ r* 



46th Congkess, > HOUSE OF EEPEESENTi^^^ES. 

2d Session. \ ' \ No. 22. 



369 

G27 THE ExVELY HISTOEY OF LOUISIANA. 



opV 



1 




LETTER 

FROM £^ .> , L . ■ r 

MR. CHARLES GAY ARRE 

TO THE 

HOX. RANDALL L. GIBSOX, OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, 

RELATIVE TO 

The early history of Louisiana. 
[To accompany bill H. R. 4191.] 



February 2, 1880. — Referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs and ordered to be 

printed. ^ 



New Orleans, January 13, 1880. 

Dear Sir : I now present to you, at your request, in the shape of a 
letter, wliat information I can give about the documents of importance 
to her colonial history which the State of Louisiana had procured from 
the archives of France and Spain, and which were destroyed at Baton 
Eouge, or carried away, when that capital of the State was taken by 
the Federal troops in our late civil war. Some of them, however, I have 
lately recovered from Mr. Draper, Secretary of the Wisconsin Historical 
Society, who tendered them to me with much kindness and liberality. 
They are now deposited in the State library, New Orleans. 

It is easy, on proper apjilication, to examine the French archives for 
any historical investigations. Every facility is even thrown in the way 
of the explorer. 

Governor Morton, when in office, bought, on my recommendation, for 
the sum of $1,000, from Mr. Magne, one of the proprietors and editors 
of the New Orleans Bee, a valuable manuscrii)t volume of documents 
which that gentleman had obtained permission to copy from the French 
archives in Paris. 

Mr. Edmund Forstall, now dead, one of our public- spirite<l citizens, 
having sojourned some time in France, examined or caused to be ex- 
amined the archives of that country in relation to her former colony of 
Louisiana, and on his return i)reseuted to the State an important col- 
lection of materials for the use of her futiu'e historians. 

Hon. John Perkiii^-;, who was for several years one of the representa- 
tives of the State in Congress, also enriclied the archives of Louisiana 
with two large manuscript volumes handsomely bound and treating of 
our former colonial relations with France. 

As to the Spanish archives concerning Louisiana, there wa«; an ab- 
solute l)lank until lately. Nothing had been left liere nor in Cuba, 
and it was. positively ascertained that it was only in Spain that our 
State could obtain some information as to the records of her colonial ex- 
istence under the new government to which she had been transferred 
by France. 



\ 



2 t\ early history of LOUISIANA. C ll 

In 1849, when secretary of state, I obtained an appropriation of $2,000 
from onr general assembly to procure documents from the archives of 
Spain. It led to a prolonged correspondence which I had with Mr. 
Komulus Saunders, our minister plenipotentiary at the time in Spain, 
and with Don Pascual de Gayangos, a Spanish man of letters, who has 
immortalized himself by his works, and with whom I became acquainted 
through my friend Mr. Prescott, the historian. Without the influence 
and the persistent exertions of Mr. de Gayangos I believe that the 
archives of Spain would not have been examined as I desired. My 
private correspondence with Mr. de Gayaugos and Mr. Prescott on the 
subject is curious and amusing. AVhat was of a nature to be published 
in a report which I made to our legislature I lay before you. You will 
find the inclosed printed document quite instructive on the condition of 
the Spanish archives and on the difficulties to be encountered as to 
their examination. I hope that this document contains sufficient in- 
formation to answer your purposes, and I think that it is not necessary 
for me to add any thing beyond what is therein to be found. 

I will, however, say that my private correspondence on the subject, 
without the knowledge of Mr. Saunders, and to remove from his path 
difficulties unsusitected by him, is a chapter of secret history which, as 
usual, is more interesting and more illustrative than what is generally 
to be met under the statelj' dress and form of j></i//c history. For in- 
-stance, to begin with Mr. cle Gayangos. He had written to Mr. Pres- 
cott that he was willing to serve me as he had served him, Prescott, 
" because there was all over the world a freemasonry and a fraternity 
among men of letters which was to be sacredly kept up," but he was 
not disposed to put himself in contact with the American minister, "who 
is not one of us." This was the language of that punctilious gentle- 
man, and his objection was to be removed. Then a great personage, 
whom I did not kno^^ personally, but who had traditionally been con- 
nected with my family by the bonds of friendship, was approached by 
me. He replied that he would do any thing to oblige me, but could 
not assist ]Mr. Saunders. Therefore he would send his secretary to Mr. 
Saunders to guide him, if I desired it, but would have no personal in- 
tercourse with him. Is it not ludicrous ? Besides, there was the tooth 
and nail opposition of the Duke of Sotonrayor, who was determined 
that it should not be known that through the manii)uiations of his 
father, (iardogui, the Si>anish minister at Washington, AVilkiuson had 
become a traitor and sold himself, to a foreign government. He main- 
tained that it would be a breach of faitli. I had to argue that question 
at length. I really believed at the time that had I not been of Sjianish 
origin [my great grandfather having come as contador with the first 
Spanisn governor, in 17()5, to take possession of Louisiana) our negotia- 
tions to examine the archives miglit have failed. This accident of birth, 
and the fact of a kinsman of mine having been a member of the regency 
of Spain during tlie Frencli invasion, with the Duke of Infantado 
and others, being skillfully i)ara(led, had no little influence, I am con- 
vinced, in ajiijcasing the susjjicions which had been roused by the formal 
and otticial ajjplication of our minister to examine tlie archives. I men- 
tion these things to make you aware of the secret as well as of the piihlic 
dilliculties Avhich may have to be en('(mntere<l by our government when 
attempting to make a tlioroiufh examination of the archives of Spain con- 
cerning Louisiana. They are in great confusion and scattered about; 
much work for a full investigation will have to be done, not only in 
^ladrid, but also in Seville, Simancas, Cadiz, and other places. As to 
the archives of France, their examination is comi>aratively an easy task. 

I beg leave to call your attention to the n)anuscrii»t history of Loui- 



jd 



J 



THE EARLY HISTORY OF LOUISIANA. 6 

siana by Senlis, mentioned by Mr. de Gayangos in his letter to Mr. 
Saunders, dated July 13, 1841). In a subsequent letter of a private 
nature to me, Mr. de Gayangos, as far as I can recollect, for it would 
give me too much trouble to look for that letter in a mass of papers, 
stated his belief that the manuscript alluded to could be had for a trifling 
sum. Mr. de Gayangos is dead ; but by inquiring at Cuen9a, where 
the descendant of the author still lives, or for any of the Senlis family 
now in existence, througii the channel of the Spanish ambassador at 
Washington, perhaps something might be done, and that manuscript 
procured, if found to be valuable. 

In conclusion, I must say that all which was really interesting in those 
copies from the French and Spanish archives to which I have alluded 
in this letter has been embodied in my history of Louisiana. But, at 
the same time, I cannot but assure you that this mine of historical 
wealth thus opened to us by imperfect researches is far from being ex- 
hausted. 

Respectfully and truly vours, 

CHARLES GAYARRE, 
Post-Office, Keic Orleans, hox 1797. 

General Randall L. Gibson, M. C, 

St. Charles Hotel. 



REPORT OF THE SECRETARY OF STATE ON THE STATE LIBRARY.— BATOIf 

ROUGE, 1850. 

To the senate and house of representatives qf the State of Louisiana in gen- 
eral assembly convened: 

1 have the honor to transmit to your honorable body the annexed doc- 
ument, marked A, showing the situation of the State library for the year 
1819. Of the money annually appropriated for the purchase of books, 
the sum of $1,016.11 has been invested this year in the acquisition of 
210 volumes. The balance, $1.02, will be refunded to the treasurer of 
the State. 

On the eve of retiring from the office which I have filled for four years 
it gives me satisfaction to have, either by purchase, exchange or other- 
wise, acquired some valuable and rare works for the State library, which 
I shall deliver to mj- successor with an increase of 1,091 volumes. I beg 
leave to recommend that the same annual appropriation of $1,000 be at 
least continued, if not made greater. Under the liberal patronage of 
the legislature, with i)roper management, and with the api^lication of 
salutary regulations, I have no doubt that the State library will become 
still more respectable, and worthy of its destination. 

The boxing up and the transportation of all the books appertaining 
to the State library has been a serious work, which the State librarian 
has had to perform in addition to his ordinary duties. The salary, which 
consists of $50 per month, has not been proiwrtionate to the obligations 
of that office, and I beg leave respectfully to suggest that the regular 
salary be increased, and that an extra compensation, suited to the extra 
work I have mentioned, be granted to the present incumbent, who has 
always discharged his duties with zeal aiul ability. 

I feel no small degree of satislaction in informing your honorable body 
that I have lately received several bundles containing copies of Spanish 
documents of anliistorical nature, for the procuring of which the State had 
niade an appropriation in 1817. I have not yet had sufficient time to exam- 
ine them and to ascertain whether they are such as to meet the expectations 
of your lionorable body. The document hereunto annexed and marked 
B contains the correspondence which I had on the subject with Mr. 



4 THE EARLY HISTORY OF LOUISIANA. 

Saunders, the United States minister plenipotentiary at the court of 
Madrid. It is not destitute of interest, and gives the history of the many 
difliculties which had to be overcome to procure those documents. As 
you will see by the statements and accounts furnished by Mr. Saunders, 
the whole of the sum appropriated ($3,(100) has been disbursed, and I 
gather from the letters now submitted to your consideration that we 
have a right to expect some more coi)ies which seem to have not been 
as yet ready when Mr. Saunders left Spain. The investigations made in 
the archives of that country are not complete, and further discoveries 
remain to be made. It is for your honorable body to decide whether an 
additional appropriation to continue the researches already begun would 
l)e judicious. I cannot but hope that you will come to the conclusion 
that any money employed in the elucidation of our history would be a 
useful application of the public treasure. 

In a report which, at the request of the senate, I made in 1848 to that 
honorable body, and which was published with their journal, I demon- 
strated how defective was the organization of the department of the 
secretary of state. The reformation which it demands is so necessary 
that I deem it my duty to call your attention to that document. I hope 
that, if taken into consideration and acted upon, it will be the means of 
securing to my successor greater facilities for the discharge of his duties. 

Eespectfully submitted. 

CHAELES GAYAEEE, 

Secretary of State. 



STATE LIBRARY OF LOUISIANA. 

Transactions of the State librarian during the four last years, under the direction of Hon. 
Charles Gayarre, secretary of state. 

BOOKS PURCHASED DURING THE TEAR 1846. 



Authors' name.s. 



Works. 



McCuUoi'h ... 
Ricbardsou . . . 



Dallas ... 
C'rancli .. 
Wli(>at..ii 
Howard.. 



Charlt^voi.'w 

Laval do 

D(! Sulis I Conquest of Mexico. 

Story 



Encyclopedia Americana 

(iazcttct-r 

Eugii.sli Dictionary 

National Portiaits 

Views of Central America (atlas) 

Reports 

do 

do 

do i.. 

J'ictorial History of Fiance and En<;laud 
Soutlievn Review 



Prcscott ... 

Martin 

Loii^ 

AValUcnaer 

Lonfi 

Aaron Bun 
Golden 



Stoddard 

Bradford 

Robin 

Bossu I do 

Perrin du Lac do 

I History of the Jesuits 

Mirirelet lilstory of I'Yance. . . . 

Thiers I Consulate and Empire 

I Universal Biograjiliy. 



AVorks . 

History of Ore;ron and California 

Conquest of Mexico 

Rei)orts 

Kxpeditinn to the Rocky Mountains 

Collection tif Travels 

Exi)edilion to tlie Sources of the St. Peter 

Memoirs 

History of the Five Nations 

Si'cret Procei'dinas and Debates of the Convention of 178" 

History of Louisiana 

.\ineriian .\nti(iuities 

Travels in Louisiana 



TUE EARLY HISTORY OF LOUISIANA. 



Transactions of ihe State Uhmrian, ifc. — Coutinuetl. 
PURCHASED DUKING THE YEAR 1846— Contintied. 




TibLins 

Thierry 

Do. 



Biography of the Great ATea of the Day 

Dictionary of the French Academy 

English and French Dictionary 

History of the Conquest of England by the Normans (with an atlas) 
Historical Essays 



PURCHASED DURIXG THE TEAR 1847. 



McKenny. 



Harrisson . . 
Ang. Ames . 

Greenleaf ... 

Kent 

E. Salverte . 



Spark... 
Tliiers . . 
DeBow. 
Monette 



Blackstone 

Benjamin and Slidell . 

Deslis 

Do 

Greiner 

Rayer 

Paiicoast 



Gross , 

Dunglison 
Story 

Prescott . . 

Moreau 



History of the Indians 

Statesman Manual 

United States Dijjest 

Digest of Cases Decided in the House of Lords 

On Corporations 

United States Laws 

Evidence (On) 

Commentaries 

Occult Sciences 

Poets and Prose "Writers of America 

The Bible 

Biography (new series) 

Consulate and Empue (continuation) 

Commercial Review, from 1st Januarj', 1846, to Ist of January, 1848. 

Valley of the Mississippi 

Early Jesuit Mission in America 

Commentaries 

Digest 

.... .do 

Annotations 

Code of Practice 

Diseases of the Skin 

Operative Sureery 

Cyclopedia of Practical Medicine 

Pathological Anatomy 

Medical Dictionary 

On Sales 

Southern Quaiterly Review 

Conquest of Peru 

Memoirs of the French Academy 

Practical Midwifery 



1 

2 
3 
5 

1 

1 
2 
4 
1 
2 
1 
11 

I 
2 

1 
2 
1 
1 
1 
1 
1 
1 
4 
1 
1 
1 
4 
2 
164 
1 



PURCHASED DURING THE YEAR 1848. 



Howard 

De Bow 

Marshall 

Thiers 

Bruyeres 

Holcomb 

Loudon 

Douming 

Lindley 

Bousin'gault . 
Scott 

Chambers . . . 
McCulloch . . 
C. Pritchanl . 

EUicott . , 

Pike 

Pittman 

Hawkin 

Brodhead — 

Silliman 

"Woodbury. .. 
Howard 



Reports 

Review 

Encyclopedia Brilaunica 

Astronomical Map and Key 

Atlas to the History of the' Consulate and Empire 

Phreuologie 

United States Farm Book 

Digest 

Loudon's Magazine of Gardening 

Fruits and Fruit Trees of America 

Vegetable Kingdom 

Rural Economv 

Engineer's and Machinist's Assistant 

Pearls of American I'oetry 

Naturalist's Libraiy 

Southorn Review 

British Encyclo])edia of Literature 

Principles of Political Economy 

Researches into Philosophical History of Man 

Journal and Atlas 

Expc<lilioii ■. 

European Settlement of the Mississippi 

Quebec 

Letters from an American Farmer 

Final Report 

Continuation of the Memoirs of the French Academy. 

Journal of Sciences 

Ancient Monuments of the Mississippi Valley 

Reports (vol. Ist) 

Reports (vol. Cth) 



1 
2 

21 
2 
2 
1 
1 
1 
9 
1 
1 
1 
2 
1 

40 



1 

5 

1 
1 
1 
1 
1 
130 
54 
1 
1 
2 



THE EARLY HISTORY OF LOUISIANA. 



Transactions of the State librarian, ^-c. — Coutiuued. 
PURCHASED DURING THE TEAR 1849. 




Lamartine 

Irving 

Burnet 

Michaux 

Oxmelin 

Plumier 

Ulloa 

Ulloa 

Voluey 

Milfort 

Dumont 

Thomas 

N. de Taboada 

Do 

B6rangcr 

Humboldt 

Layard 

"Woodswoith 

Hallam 

Do 

Thieve 

De Bow 

LyeU 

Testut 

Hawk 



Girondins (lea) 

Cromwell's Speeches 

Bracebiidge Hall 

Notes ou North-'Westeru Territory 

Lives of the Loi'ds Chancellors of England . 

Chenes d' Amerique et Flora Borealia 

Recueil des voyages 

Plantes de 1' Amerique 

Voyage dans 1' Amerique ni6ridionale 

Transactions of the Royal British Society. . 

Drayage 

American State Trials 

Memoires 

Tableau du climat d' Amerique 

Vue de la Colouie Es])aguole du Mississippi 

Memoire sur les Cieeks J> 

Aventures de Beauchene I 

Memoires sur la Louisiaue I 

Culture des bois J 

Dictiounaire Fran§ais-Espa^ol et Espagnol-rran9ais 

Dictionuaire de 1' Academie Espagnole 

ffiuvres ill nst tees 

Cosmos 

Niniveh and Remains 

Greece 

Middle Ages 

Ecclesiastical History 

De la propriete 

Commercial Review 

Second Tour 

Southern Review " 

Veill6es Louisianaises 

Dictionary of Americanisms 

Eg 



w. 



Civil Engineering 

The Presidents 

Shipmasters' Assistant... 

Commercial Digest 

School Architecture 

Chemistry of the Seasons . 
Modem British Essayist . 

Drayage '. 

Binding of Books. . . 



Total. 



Number of volumes bought in 1846 . 

Do 1847. 

Do 1848. 

Do 1849. 



Total. 



$6 00 

2 50 
1 50 

3 00 
8 00 

13 33 

13 20 

779 03 
1 50 
6 00 



17 18 



6 00 
5 00 

10 00 

7 00 

4 50 
14 00 

2 00 
7 00 

2 00 

5 00 

1 50 
28 50 

3 00 
3 00 
3 00 

24 00 
3 50 
5 00 
5 00 

2 00 

1 50 
18 75 

50 

2 50 



1 
2 
1 
1 
4 
3 
4 
1 
2 
164 



1, 016 14 I 1, 008 



250 
227 
291 
240 



1,008 



BOOKS ACQUIRED PER EXCHANGE DURING THE TEAR 1846. 



Authors' names. 


"Works. 


til 

ll 

3 p 











do 


;< 


L<page 

Hennepin 


do 


3 


do 


1 


do 


•> 




do 


;t 


Laharpe 


do 


1 


do 


1 


Trtvoux 




8 






4 









THE EARLY HISTORY OF LOUISIANA. 



Transactions of the State librarian, cfc. — Coutiuued. 
BOOKS ACQUIRED PER EXCHANGE DURING THE TEAR 1847. 




Chitty . 
Elliott's 

Story . . 
DaUoz . 



Medical Jurisprudence 

Burr's Trials 

Diplomatic Code 

Robinson's Penal Laws 

Lives of the Lords Chancellors 

Popular and Practical Introduction to Law Studies . . . 

Reports 

Holmes' Stat esnian 

Jurisprudence geuerale 

Total 

Number of volumes acquired per exchange, 1846 
Do ...W47 

Total 



u 




,0 


a 


s 


a 


a 





^ 


> 




1 




^ 




2 




29 




3 




1 




5 




1 




12 


83 




28 




55 



83 



BOOKS SENT BY OTHER STATES AND PRESENTED TO THE STATE LIBRARY, 1846. 



Norman . . . 



Napier. .. 



Hotchkiss . 
Washbiirn . 

"Walker 

Harrington 



Spencer 



Lieber 

C. Gayarre 

Eock' 

J. F. Neigebaur . 

Menzel 



New Orleans and EnVirons 

Report of the Decisions of the Supreme Court of Florida 

Laws of Indiana (1846) 

Remarks on Prison and Prison Discipline in the United States 

Peninsular "War and Atlas 

Debates of Pennsylvania State Convention 

Life of R. H.Lee! 

Statute Law of Georgia 

Digest of Vermont 

Chancery Reports of Michigan 

do .' 

Journal of the House of Representatives and of Senate of Illinois, 1844. 

Reports made to the House of Representatives and Senate of Illinois, 1844 

Acts of South Carolina, 1846 

Revised Statutes of Illinois 

Laws of Mis.sissippi, 1846 

Laws of Indiana, 1846 

Laws of Kentucky, 1845-'46 

Laws of New York 

Laws of New Jersey 

Reports Communicated to the Legislature of Kentucky 

Reports of New Jersey, 1843-'44 

Seventeenth Annual Report of the State Penitentiary of Pennsj'lvania 
for 1846 

Memorial Soliciting a State Hospital in Pennsylvania, February, 1846.. 

Popular Essay on Subjects of Penal Law, 1847 

History of Louisiana 

Die Preussischen Universitaten 

Die Preussischen Gymnasium 

Das Botts Eschu vesen 

Die Drei Roniglick Preussischen 

Statuten der Juristischen Faculta, &c., &c 

RAglement 

United States Statutes at Large 

1st Auditor's Annual Report, 1846, Kentucky 

Report of a Minority of the Special Committee of the Boston Prison 
Discipline Society, 1845 

Statistics of the Condition and Products of Certain Branches of Indus- 
try in Massachusetts for the year ending April 1, 1845 

American Archives, fourth series, vol. vi, 1779 

Laws of Ohio, vol. xliv, 1845-'4C 

Laws of Michigan, 1846 

Laws of Vermont 

Laws of Maine 

Laws of Pennsylvania, 1846 

Laws of New Hampshire, 1846 

Laws of Arkansas. 1846 

Laws of Fhnida, 1846 

Laws of Illinois, 1847 

Laws of New Jersey, 1847 

Laws of Michigan, 1847 

Laws of Ohio, 1847 

Laws of Dela war.', 1847 

Laws of Texas, 1846 

Laws of North Clarolina, 1846-'47 



THE EARLY HISTORY OF LOUISIANA. 

Transactions of the State librarian, tj'o. — Continued. 
BOOKS SEXT BY OTKER STATES, &c.— Continued. 



Authors' names. 



Works. 






3 
2 
3 
2 
3 
3 
150 
154 
3 
1 

1 
3 
1 
1 
1 
2 
5 
1 
1 



Griswold ... 

"Washburn . 

Gillman 

Stringfellow 



T. Toucey. 



Eichardson 



Laws of Xew Hampshire, 1847 

Laws of Iowa, 1847 

Laws of Connecticut, 1847 

Laws of Indiana, 1847 

Laws of Massacliu.setts, 1847 

Laws of Missouri, 1847 

Laws of Congress, 1846, 1st Session, 39th Legislature 

Laws of Congress, 1847, 2d Session, 39th Legislature 

Laws of Massachusetts, 1847 

Ohio Reports, vol. xiv 

Report of the Trees and Shrubs growing naturally in the Forests of 
Massachusetts 

House Journal, 1st Session 29th Congress, 1845-'46 

Vermont's Reports, vol. ii 

Illinois Reports. 1846 

Missouri Reports, 1846 

Alabama Reports, vol. vii and viii, new series, 1846 

Resolutions and Private Acts of Connecticut, 1846 

Reports of the Commissioners of the School Fund, Connecticut, 1846. .. 

Report of the Quartermaster-General, May Session, 1846, Connecticut.. 

Message of the Governor of Connecticut in relation to the "War with 
Mexico 

Report of the Bank Commissioners to the General Assembly, Connec- 
ticut, 1846 .' 

Message to the Legi.slature of Connecticut, May Se.s.sion, 1846 

Report of the Directors of the Connecticut State Prison, 1846 

Statistics of the Condition of Certain Branches of Industry in Connec- 
ticut for the year ending October 1, 1845 

Journal of the House of Representatives of Connecticut, May Session, 
1846, 



Spencer's . . 
C. Oilman . . 

S. Green . . . 
J. Shepley . 
Blackford . . 

T. Metcalf . 



Journal of the Senate of Connecticut, 1846 

Annual Report of the Controllers of the Public Schools of the City and 

County of Philadelphia, for the year ending June 30, 1845 

The 19th Annual Report of the House of Refuge of Philadelphia, with 

an appendix, 1847 | 

Reports of South Carolina, vol. ii 

Geological Map of Massacliusetts 

Resolutions and Private Acts of Connecticut, 1847 j 

Report of Cases argued in the Supreme Court of Floiida for 1847, vol. i, i 

No. 11 

Reports of New Jersey, vol. i, part 3. from 1844 to 1845 

Report of Cases argued in the Sa])reuie Court of Illinois, 1847, 3d vol. . . 
Minutes of the Votes and Proceedings of the 71st General Assembly of 

New Jersey, 1847 

Revised Statutes of Michigan, 1846 

Reports of Maine, vol. xxv 

Reports of Indiana, vol. vii 

Reports of Alabama, new series, vols, ix and s 

Reports of Massachusetts, vol. ix 



BOOKS SENT BT OTHER STATES AND PRESENTED TO THE STATE LIBRARY, 1848. 



Humphrey. 
Tredell's... 

Kichardson 



Smedes and Marshall 



Morris. 



Kelly 

Kichardson 



Repoi ts, vol. vi, Tennessee 

Equity Cases, North Carolina, Reports of, vol. vii 

New Hanijjsh ire Reports. 2d series, vol. i 

Reports of Soiitli Carolina, vol. iii '. 

House .lournals of Congress, 2d Session 29th Congress, 1846-'47 

Reports of Arkansas, vol. i, 1846 

Reports of Arkansas, vol. ii, 1847 

Reports of Mississippi, vols, ix and x 

Messages and documents of the State of Virginia for the year 1847 

Laws of New York. 70th Session, vol. i ". , 

Laws of New York. 70th Session, vol. ii 

Iowa Reports, vol. i, 1847 

Acts and Resolves of Maine, 1847 

Annual Report of the Board of Directors of the Pennsylvania Institu- 
tion for the Deaf and Dumb for 1H47 - 

Twentietli Annual IteiKUt of the House of Krfuge of Philadelphia, 1848. 

Acts and Resolves of Vermont 

Journal of f lie Proceedings of the Second Senate of New Jersey, 1846 .. 

Minutes of the Votes and Proceedings of the 70th General Assembly of 
New Jersey, 1846 '..... 

Reports, Supreme Court of (ieorgia, 1847, 1st and 2d vols 

i Equity Reports, vol. ii. South Carolina 



THE EARLY HISTORY OF LOUISIANA. 

Transactions of the State librarian, ijc. — Continuecl. 
BOOKS SENT BY OTHER STATES, &c.— Continued. 



Authors' names. 



Works. 



'I 



Stem.... 
Cobb .... 
Strobhart 

Monroe . . 
Do... 

Griswold 



Hutchinson . 



Deslix . 
Do. 



History of Georgia, vol. i 

Analysis auil Fomis of Georgia, auil State Papers . , 

Law Eeport, Soutli Carolina, 1st 

Acts of 1 847 Kentucky '. . 

Reports, vol. vii 

Reports, 1847-48 

Senate Journal of 1847-48 

Ohio Reports, 16th, 1848 

Laws of Ohio, vol. xvi, 1847-'48 

Journal of Senate and House of Representatives, Iowa. ., 

Iowa Laws 

First Report of the Commissioners on Practice and PBeadings, State of 

Kew York 

Laws of Pennsylvania, 1848 

Laws of Michigan, 1848 

Laws of Connecticut. 1848 

Laws of Georgia, 1847 

Laws of Congress, 1848 

Resolutions and Private Acts of Connecticut 

Pennsylvania Jouiual of Prisou Discipline and Pbilanthrophy 

Mississippi Code 

Twenty-third Annual Report of the Board of Managers of the Prison 

Discipline Society, Boston 

DiMst •; 

Inae 



C.C.Koyer .... 
Alphonse de P . 

L.Moll 

De Puibusque . 



Cs. Ladoucette. 



M.Picbat 

J. P. Bompart . 
J. A. Schlipf . . 

De Torcy 

Do.: 

A. Sauzeau . . . 
P. A. Morin . . . 
H. Bouley 



De Gasparin 



L.Moll 

Picard , 

N. de Buffon ... 

Ephrem Houel . . 
Ms. de Travanet 

L.L*** 

Cte. Odard 

Chas.de Boigne. 

O. Delafond 

E. Jacquemin... 
E. Lecouteux . . . 
A. If. Derotrie. . 

La.Cossin 

C. C. Rover 

T. Lavall6e 

A. Malo 

Dombasle 



Stud Book frangais, Registre des chevaux de pur sang n^s ou import^s 

en France 

Routier des iles Antilles , 

Notes 6conomiques sur radmini-stration des richesses 

Des irrigations suivant la loi du 16 Septembre, 1807 

Manuel d'agriculture 

Dictionnaire municipal 

Annales de la Soci6t6 S6ricole, fondle en 1837, pour la propagation et 

I'amelioration de I'industrie de la sole 

De rintiueuce ties divers modes de location 

Manuel 61ementaire du cultivature alsacien 

Pratique des semailles a la vol^e 

Abr^ge sur la culture de I'olivier 

Manuel i>opuIaire d'agriculture 

An pays et aux chanibres — le cornice hippique 

Des remontes- de I'armee 

Vingt pages k lire, ou la question cbevaline 

Agriculture de partie du Poitou 

Notice sur la castration des vaches 

Discours jirononce h la distribution des prix de I'ficole Royale d'Alfort. 
Reportof the Joint Library Committee of tlie Legislature of New York 

on the subject of the International Exchange 

Cours d'agi'iculture 

Guides des cornices et des propiietaii'es 

Agiiculture fran9aise — par les directeurs de 1' Agriculture 

Tableau geni^ial du commerce de la Fiance avec sea colonies et les 

puissances etrangi'^res pendant les annees 1843-'44-'4r) 

Rapports g^n^-raux des travaux du couseil de salubrity pendant les 

annees 1829 a lfi:i9 

Colonisati(m et agriculture de I'Alg^rie 

L'agriculture raisounee 



Des eanaux darroHage de I'ltalie septeotrionale dans leur rapport avec 
ceux de la Franc 



Trait<^! complet de 1 el^ve du cheval en Bretagne 

Prescrvatitd'agi'omanie empirique 

fipargnc et Prevoyance 

Ami)el()giiii)hie, ou traite des ceepages 

Du cheval en France 

Trait<< sur la maladie de i)oitrinedu gros betail 

L'Anemagne agricole, iudustrielle etpoliti(|ue 

Trait(' elementaire du departement de la Seine 

Comnieiitaire s\ir les lois rurales frauQaises'. 

Les avantages de hi reunion territoriale 

Notes economiques sur radministratiou dcB richesses (atlas) 

Histoiie des Fran^ais 

MiuistO-re de la marine — conipte rendu an roi de I'emploi des fonds 
alloues depuis 1839 pour I'en.seignement religieux et elementaire des 
noirs '. 

Elements de comptabilitc rurale, theoritiue et ]>rati(iue 

Calendrier du bon cultivateur 



10 



THE EARLY HISTORY OF LOUISIANA. 



Transactions of the State Ilhraiian, ^-c. — Continued. 
BOOKS SENT BY OTHER STATES, &c.— Continued. 



Authors' names. 



Works. 



^ a 



Ministeie de la marine et de.s colmiios, rommi.ssion in.stituoe par d^ci- 
I sion royale du 20 mai 1840, pour rexamen des que.itions relatives k 

\ lesclavao'e 

Eoyer Des institutions du cr6dit foncier 

Annales des haras 

L. Bentz i Premiers elements d'asriculture 

V. Rendu ' Manuel d'asrieulture 

Julien ■ Resume sur la culture des vers k sole 

L. Estancelin Eecherches sur les Toyajjes et d6couvertes des navigateurs Normands. . 

Conegliano ' De la fabrication du fromage 

j Ministere de rint6rieur — projet de loi sur les prisons 

J. Lechevalier I Rapport sur les questions coloniales 

Rapport sur les marches publics en Angleterre, en Belgique, en Hol- 

lande et en Alleniagne 

Questions relatives al'aboUtionde I'esclavage 

Couseils gen6raux de I'agricalture, des manufactures et du commerce.. 



BOOKS SEXT BY OTHER STATES AXD PRESENTED TO THE STATE LIBRARY, 1849. 



C. Gourault. 
Strobhart . . . 



Warfield 

Gill 

Metcalf 

Zabriskie 

HaiTLngton 

English 

"Wharton 

Iredell 

Griswold 

Smedes & Marshall 
A. Vattemare 



■Washburn . 



Doano . 



Histoire du calcul des probabilites 

Equity Reports, South Carolina, Vol. 1 

Acts of Virginia, 1847, 1848 

Acts of Wisconsin, 1848 

Acts of Massachusetts, 1849 

Acts of New Jersey, 1849 

Acts of Delaware, 1849 

Acts of Ohio, 1848, 1849 

Acts of New York, 1849 

Acts of New Hampshire, 1849 

Acts of Michigan. 1849 

Acts of New York, 72d session, 1849 

Acts of Vermont, 1848 

Acts of Missouri, 1849 

Acts of Illinois, 1849 

Acts of New York, 71st session, 1848 

Acts, Reports, and Resolutions of South Carolina, 1848 

Digest 

Reports, Vols. 1 and 2 

Twenty-lhird Annual Report of the Board of Managers of the Prison 

Disci)>liue Society (Boston) 

Southern Quarterly Review, 1848 

Reports, II '. 

Reports, Vol. 1, part 1 and 2 

Reports, Vol. IV, 1848 

New Jersey — Cases Determined in the Supreme Court, 1845 

Reports of Arkansas, 1849 

State Trials of United States 

Equity Reports, Vol. V 

Ohio Reports, Vol. VII 

Pennsylviiiiia Reports, 1849 

Mississippi Kejjorts, 1849 ^ 

Addre.s.s on International Exchanges 

Report of the Board of Visitors and Tru.stees of the New Hampshire 

Asylum for the Insane, 1849 

Report of the'Bank Commissioners, 1849 

Report of tlie Warden, Physician, and Chaplain of the State Prison, 1849. 

Hou.se Journal, 2(1 .si'Ssion, liOtli Congress 

Journal of tlie Ilousr of R('])roseutatives of Connecticut, 1849 

Reports of Vermont, Vol. IV 

Journal of the Conventiim of Wisconsin 

Reports of Missouri. 1848 

Thirty-tirst Annual Report of tlie Controllers of the Public Schools of 

the City and County of Philailelphia 

Texas Reports, Vol. l' 

Itevi.s.a Statutes of Connecticut, 1849 

Dociiiiients ot tlic lirst s>-ssi(iii of tlie 30th Congress 

Itiitmiial KrgittiT ol Olliieis in tlie .Service of the United States 

Thiited States P^xjiloriiig Expedition, Vol. VIII 

Atlas connected with the Ex]>loring Expedition of the United States.. 
Journal of Congress, 1843 

Total 



1,027 



THE EARLY HISTORY OF LOUISIANA. 



11 



Transactions of the State librarian, ife. — Continued. 

NUMBER OF VOLUMES SENT BY OTHER STATES AND PRESENTED TO THE STATE 

LIBRARY. 



II 


41 
437 
393 
156 



Number in 1846 
Number in 1847 
Number in 1848 
Number in 1849 

. Total .... 



1,087 



DOCUMENTS PUBLISHED IN THE STATE OF LOUISIANA RECEIVED IN THE STATE 

LIBRARY. 



"Works. 



la 



Durins the year 1846 : 

Debates of Louisiana State Convention ; Engliab, 97 ; French, 98 

L a w s o f 1 846 

Journal of Senate 

Journal of Hou.se of Representatives 

Robiu.son's Reports, 11th vol 

Robinson's Reports, 12tb vol 

During the year 1847: 

Laws of 1847 

Journal of the Senate of Louisiana, 1847 

Journal of the House of Representatives, 1847 

Executive Journal of the Senate, 1847 

Executive Journal of the vSenate, French, 1 847 

Louisiana Annual Reports, 1st vol 

Durina: the year 1848: 

Laws of 1848 

Journal of the Senate of Louisiana, 1848 

Journal of the House of Representatives of Louisiana, 1848 

Executive Journal of the Senate, 1848 

During the year 1849 : 

Laws of 1848, extra ses.sion of December 

Journal of the Senate, 1848, extra session of December 

Journal of the House of Representatives, 1848, extra session of December 

Executive Journal of the Senate, 1848, extra session of December 

Bertin, Repertoire des successions 

Third annual reports 

Total 

Number of documents published by the State of Loiiisiana: 

Received in the State library during the year 1846 

Received in the State library during the year 1847 

Received in the State library during the year 1848 

Received in the State library during the year 1849 

Total number 



195 
529 
1,401 
486 
200 
200 

1,945 
248 
246 
236 

245 
918 

2,000 
250 
250 
250 

2,000 
230 
230 
200 
300 
800 



12, 559 



3,011 
3,838 
2,750 
3,760 



12, 559 



BOOKS DELIVERED TO PUBLIC OFFICERS AND PURCHASERS. 



During the year 1846: 

Civil Code 

Code of Practice 

Moreau's Digest 

BuUard & Curry's Digest 

Greiner's Digest 

Martin's Reports 

Louisiana Reports 

Robin.son's Reports 

Robinson's Penal Laws 

Journals of the Legislature 

Report of the Board of Currency 



45 
6 

50 
7 
4 

69 
131 
273 

44 

38 
1 



12 



THE EARLY HISTORY OF LOUISIANA. 



Transactions of the State lihrarian, <^c. — Coutiuued. 
BOOKS DELIVERED TO PUBLIC OFFICERS AND PURCHASERS— Continued. 



Works. 



'I 



During the year 1847 : 

Civil Code 

Code of Practice 

Moreau's Digest 

Greiner's Digest 

Martin's Reports (new series, 3 sets) 
Louisiana Reports, Volume 2 

3 

4 

5 

6 

7 



9. 
10. 
11. 
12. 
13. 
14. 
15. 
16. 
17. 
18. 
19. 

Robinson's Penal Laws 

Robinson's Reports, Volume 1. 

2. 

3. 

4. 



American State Papers 

Louisiana Convention Journal 

Debates of Louisiana Convention 

Journal of the Senate of 1846 

Journal of the House of Representatives of 1846 . 

Partidas 

Laws of Louisiana from 1817 to 1840, inclusive . . . 
During the year 1848 : 

Civil Code 

Code of Practice 

Moreau's Digest 

Louisiana Reports, Volume 1 



3. 



Robinson's Penal Laws. 

Debates of Louisiana Convention, 1845 

Louisiana Convention Journal, 1845 

Laws of Louisiana from 1807 to 1848, inclusive . 
During the year 1849: 

Civil Code ~. 

Code of Practice 

Moreau's Digest 

Deslix's Digest 

Deslix's Index 

Robinson's Reports, Volume 1 



7& 
1 
36 
2 
24 
4 
6 
8 
11 
12 
12 
12 
11 
11 
12 
11 
11 
11 
11 
12 
12 
12 
12 
51 
9 
10 
11 
14 
15 
16 
38 
17 
20 
21 
34 
10 
1 



546 

47 
3 
5 
1 
1 
1 
1 
1 
1 
1 
1 
1 
1 
1 
1 
1 
1 
1 
1 

22 
3 



THE EARLY HISTORY OF LOUISIANA. 



13 



Transactions of the State lilrarian, <j-c. — Coutiuued. 
BOOKS DELIVERED TO PUBLIC OFFICERS AND PURCHASERS— Coutinued. 



Works. 



During the year 1849 — Coutinued. 

Robinson's Reports, Voiumo 4 

5 

6 

7 



Annual Reports, Voiumo 1 

2 

3 

Bullard & Curry's Digest 

Pallidas, 10 set's 

State Convention Debates, 1845 - 

Journal, 184.5 

Constitution of Louisiana, 184.5 

Journal of the House of Representatives, 1827 

1828 

1840 

1841 

1844 

1846 

1847 

1848 

1849 

Journal of the Senate of the State of Louisiana, 1841 

1842 

1844 : 

1846 

1847 

1848 

1849 

Benjamin's and Slidell's Digest 

Acts of Congress, 1847 

1848 

Executive Doctinient of Senate, 1848 ; extra session 

Louisiana Laws, from 1807 to 1848 (extra session), including 1807, 1808, 1809, 1816, 1817, 1825, 1826, 
1827, 1828, 1829, 1830, 1831, 1832, 1833, 1834, 1835, 1836, 1837, 1838, 1839, 1840, 1841, 1842, 1844, 1845, 1846, 
1847,1848 (1848, extra session) 



a 2 



Total. 



5 
4 

46 
184 

90 
3 

20 
2 
1 
1 
3 
2 

2 
2 
2 
4 
5 
7 

25 
1 
1 
1 
1 
1 
5 
6 
1 
1 
1 

10 



292 



3,647 



NUMBER OF BOOKS DELIVERED TO PUBLIC OFFICERS AND PURCHASERS. 



During the year 1846 

1847 , 

1848 

1849 

Total 



968 
1,151 

747 
781 



3,647 



DOCUMENTS OF LOUISIANA DISTRIBUTED. 



During the year 1846: , ^, 
Louisiana convention, 1845. Debates to be forwarded to governors of States and to the conven- 
tion of the State of New York • 

Laws of 1846 dtlivere<l to the sefietarv of .state to he forwarded to members of the legi.slature . . . 

Journals of the Senate (ISJO) forwanl'cd l)y the State librarian to members of the legislature 

Journals of the Senate (184G) dcliv. red to the .secretary of state 

Journals of the House of Representatives delivered to the secretary of state 

During the year 1847 : 

Laws of 1847 delivered to the i)rivate secretary of the governor to be forwarded to members of 
tlu" legislature and pulilir oiticiTs 

Journals of the Senate of Louisiana (1847) delivered to Z. Ledoux, private secretary of the gov- 
ernor, to be forwarded to iiK^iiilifis of the legislature 

JouiTialsof the House of llepre.siiitatives (1847) delivered to the private secretary of the gov- 
ernor for members of the hgi.shi line 

Executive Journals of the Senate delivered to the private secretary of the governor for mem- 
bers of t he legislature 

Journals of the Senate delivered by the State librarian to members of the legislature and a few 
public otlicera - 



20 
133 
128 
3 
133 



920 
112 
112 
112 
18 



14 



THE EARLY HISTORY OF LOUISIANA. 



Transactions of the State Uhrarian, c^c — Continued. 
DOCUMENTS OF LOUISIANA DISTKIBUTED— Continued. 



"Worts. 



Dnrinfr the year 1847— Continued. 
Journals of tlie House of Representatives delivered by the State librarian to members of the 

legislature and a few public officers 

Executive Journals of the Senate delivered by the State librarian to members of the legislature 

and public officers 

Louisiana Annual Reports, 1st vol., 1846 

During the year l!S48 : 
Laws of 1848 delivered to the private secretary of the governor to be forwarded to members of 

the legislature 

Journafs of the Senate (1848) delivered to the private secretary of the governor for members of 

the legislature 

Journals of the House of Representatives T1848) delivered to the private secretary of the gov- 

emor to be forwarded to niemV)ers of the legislature 

Executive Journals of Senate delivered to the governor's private secretary to be forwarded to 

members of the legislature 

Jouraals of the Senate delivered by the State librarian to members of the legislature and a few 

public officers ■ 

Journals of the House of Ri'jncspiitatives delivered by the State librarian to members of the 

legislature and a few publiL- oUici'rs 

Executive Journal of the Stuate delivered by the State librarian to members of the legislature 

and public officers -' 

Louisiana Annual Reports, 1st vol., 1846 

During the year 1849 ; 
Laws of 1848 (extra .session, December) delivered to the private secretary of the governor to be 

forwarded to members of the legislature 

Total 

Number of ilocunicnts distributed: 

1846 

1847 

1848 

1849 

Total 



11 



18 



18 
102 



400 

132 

132 

132 

22 

23 

19 
80 



3,601 



BOOKS DELIVERED DURING THE SECOND SESSION OF THE LEGISLATURE OF 1848 
AND NOT RETURNED BY THE MEMBERS TO WHOM THEY WERE LENT. 



Revised Statutes of Michigan 

Acts of Congress, 1843 

Histoire des voyages, vols. 38 et 41 

Debates of the Convention of Louisiana, 1845 

Statutes at Large, vol. 5 

Civil Code 

Deslix Supieme Court Digest 

Statutes of Louisiana 

Second Annual Rep(n-ts 

Journals of the Legislature 

Total 



13; 
30 



179 



GENERAL REC Al'lTU L ATION . 



Bool<a purchased during the years 1846, 1847, 1848, 1849 ] 1,008 

Books inisiiitcd to tlio State librai-y and received during the same four years 1, 027 

J'.ddUs ;i<i|iiii((l during the same years per exchange ' 83 

Iiuriiisc-iir Uh- liluaiy during those four years ,2, 118 

Niiiiibir 111 iliKiiint iits published by the State during those four years and sent to the library ... 12, 559 

Nuiiilici- iif lMHili> delivered to public otficers and purchasers during the four years '■ 3,647 

DoiiiiiKntsdistiibiited i 3. 601 

ISooksdelivcii'd in 184!Mo members of tlic legislature and not returned 179 

In 1847 $100 had liecii received bv tbi- St;ili- lilniMian, as api)eiirs from the report I made in the 
year 1848 (Januar\ », out of which .ffJ.'iii b:i\ iug bei-u spent in 1847, and $49.1'. in 1848, a balance 
of $8.65 remained in my hands; 1 have sixjut tbcni to have the library swept and cleaned in ] 
New Orleans. 



Bato.\ Roloe, January 23, 1850. 



H. PAUL CAIRE, 

JSUite Librarian. 



THE EARLY HISTORY OF LOUISIANA. 15 

B. — Corresjjondefice annexed to the report of the secretary of state on the 

State library. 

Madrid, January 1, 1849. 
Hon. Charles Gayarre, 

Secretary of State : 
Dear Sir : I have duly received your favor covering a bill of ex- 
cliange on Messrs. Bariug & Co., at sixty days, and dated the 17th of 
November, to be applied to the expense of copying documents for the 
State of Louisiana. 

I inclose a note just received from M. Gayangos, which will inform 
you as to the progress of the business. On his return to Madrid you 
shall have a full account of his expenses. You will please inform me as 
to your wishes in having the documents forwarded — or would you pre- 
fer having them kept until the whole shall be complete 1 As it is my 
purpose to return to the United States in the course of the year, I might 
bring them with me, unless some safe opportunity should before accrue. 
I am, &c., 

E. M. SAUXDERS. 



Madrid, October 21, 1848. 
Hon. Chas. Gay^arre, 

Secretary of State : 
Dear Sir : I wrote you a few days since informing you of M. Ga- 
yangos' operations. Inclosed is a letter I have just received from him. 
In my last I requested you to forward as heretofore the balance of 
the api)ropriation, as it will be wanted. On M. Gayangos' return you 
shall have accounts of his expenses. 
Kespectfullv, 

E. M. SAUXDEES. 



Sevilla, Fonda de la Union, 

Angust 31, 1848. 
To E. M. Saunders, 

Minister Plenipotentiary : 

Sir : I have until now delayed giving you an account of my opera- 
tions in this place, because I was told you were coming with the rest of 
the diplomatic corps. 

After some delay, and in order to give the chief archivero time to 
look for and to bring out to me the papers, if any, which relate to Lou- 
isiana, I had the satisfaction to hear that there was a large room full of 
them that came from Madrid in 1828. I was accordingly installed in 
the said room, and allowed to begin my search. I soon found that the 
papers were precisely in the same state as when they came from the 
capital, tied in bundles, most of which were not ticketed, and without 
the least order or clasification. I began, however, my search, and 
among a mass of useless trash was lucky enough to discover, at the 
end of some days, some bundles or liasses containing the correspond- 
ence of Unzaga, Navarro, Eendon, Morales, ]Miro, Carondelet, &c., who 
were either military governors or intendents of Louisiana. I continued 
my researches, and was agreeably surprised to find part of the secret 
correspondence of General Wilkinson, Dr. White, Colonel Dunn, and 
other parties, who offered to annex Kentucky, Ohio, and other States, 
and were undoubtedly in the pay of the Spanish Government, as may 



16 THE EARI.Y HISTORY OF LOUISIANA. 

be fully proved by their own eorre.s])on(leuce. Tliouoli these papers, as 
far as I can judge, are not complete (some of the jiublic officers at Mad- 
rid having neglected toseudjtheir contingent at the time), I have no 
hesitation to say thai much interesting matter may be selected from 
those I now have in hand; and, moreover, as on my return to Madrid I 
shall not fail to look also in the archives of the war office and in those 
of the Siqfrimido Consejo de Tndias, I have no doubt we shall find there 
whatever is wanting here. 

So far with regard to the papers themselves. With regard to my 
proceedings here, I deem it necessary to call your attention to the fol- 
lowing facts. The papers, as I said before, are in the greatest j)ossible 
disorder, no attempt having been made to classify them since they came 
from Madrid. Most of them have no other inscription but this : Lou- 
isiana, Florida Occidental ; a few only have the year marked on the 
outside, in red letters, and the greater part, not to say all of them, con- 
tain such heterogeneous matter that it requires a good deal of time and 
considerable patience to ascertain their contents. The archives are open 
only five days in the week, from ten to one. No transcripts are allowed 
except those made by the clerks of the establishment, and that accord- 
ing to a tariff which is more than double the price usually i^aid at 
Madrid. 

The above circumstance will naturally retard my operations, and in 
order to examine 285 bundles and mark out what is worthy of transcript 
it will be necessary for me to devote at least four months. In order to 
save expenses, I make, as I go on, extracts of such papers as are not 
sufficiently interesting to be transcribed at full. All together, and when 
the copies here being made are paid for, I calculate that it will cost 
about $500, or one-fourth of the sum allowed by the State of Louisiana; 
but, on the other hand, I feel confident that the documents obtained 
will be found to be highly interesting, and that after this the expense 
to be incurred at Madrid will be proportionately small. 

Not knowing for certain whether you will decide to visit this place, 
I have thought proper to address you on this subject. 
I remain, &c., 

PASCUAL DE GAYANGOS. 



Cadiz, October 14, 1848. 
To E. M. Saunders, Esq., 

Minister Plenipotentiary : 

Sir : I write from Cadiz, where I have found in the government 
archives some papers relative to Louisiana. It would appear, as they 
inform me, that they came here from the Island of Cuba, together with 
others about Florida, and were destined to Seville; but either from the 
officers carelessness or some other cause they were never sent to their 
<lestination, and here they are. As soon as 1 have ascertained whether 
there is anytliiug in them worth transcribing T sliall go back to Seville. 

Thinking that you may wish to write to M. Gayarre, I inclose you a 
coi)y of the letter which 1 wrote to you wJiilst in Seville, where 1 thought 
you were not coming. 

About the end of the month, or beginning of next, I shall want more 
funds; but I will let you know in tinu'. 

Trusting that all vour family are doing well, I remain, «S:c., 

PASCUAL DE GAYANGOS. 



THE EARLY HISTORY OF LOUISIANA. 1( 

Xew Orleans, January (I, 184:9. 
To ]{. M. Saunders, Esq., 

Minister rienipotentiury : 
Sir : I have received with gieat pleasure your letter dated Madrid, 
October 21, 1818, iiielosiiif>- two letters from ^f, (layangos, by which I 
see that I am soon to l)e put in possession of a rich harvest of docu- 
ments. I am expecting- them with all the impatience of an historian 
wlio has become enamored of the subject on which his attention has 
been fixed so long. 

In my letter of the 2()th (►f ISTovember last I informed you that I had 
Transmitted to you directly, au<l to Messrs. Baring, Brothers & Co., of 
London, triplicate drafts drawn by Schmidt & Co., of this city, on John 
Louis Emme «S: Co., London, for £300 o-S sterling, of which I hope that 
you will soon acknowledge the receipt. 
Very respectful! v, •.^c, 

CHAELES GAYARRE. 



London, December 29, 1848. 
To the Hon Charles Gayarre, 

Secretary of State : 
Sir : We have to acknowledge receipt of your letter of the 20th ult., 
inclosing a remittance on account of Mr. Romulus M. Saunders, IT. S. 
Minister at Madrid, of £206 5-8 sterling-, on J. L. Einme & Co., for 
.vhich we shall understand with him. 
We remain, &c., 

BARING, BROTHERS & CO. 



Seville, December 25, 1848. 
To R. M, Saunders, Esq., 

Minister Plenipotentiary : 

Dear Sir : I suppose Mrs. de Gayangos has informed you of my trip 
to Gibraltar and the African coast. Finding that, according to an old 
practice, the archives at this place were to be shut up to the public for 
three weeks, I availed myself of the opi)ortuuity to visit the African 
shores. I was absent about a month, the expenses of which I shall not, 
of course, charge to Mr. Gayarre. 

Your letter of the 25th of October was not delivered to me until a few 
days ago, when, hearing from Mrs. de Gayangos that you had written 
to me, 1 applied to tlie post-office, and found that it had laid there for 
about six weeks. I see by its contents that you authorize me to draw 
upon you at three days' sight for the funds I may require; but I .shall 
not have occasion to do so, as, not knowing your intentions, I had taken 
my measures accordingly and procured the sum required, engaging 
myself to paj" the- same on my return to Madrid. 

I shall not, therefore, trouble you until I go back, which will be at 
the beginning of next month. Everything was finislied, and I ready to 
depart by the 15th, when a sudden and unexpected discovery of some 
important pa]>ers obliged me to devote a few days more to their perusal, 
and the holidays coming on before I had finished my new task I was 
unfortunately detained nuich longer than I expected. But whoever 
has anything to do with Spanish aifairs must needs have patience and 
resignation if he intends to accomplish his object. I cannot tell you 
the exact sura which I may retpiire shortly after ray return to the cap- 
H. Mis. 22 2 



18 THE EARLY HISTORY OF LOUISIANA. 

ital, as the chief archiveio has not .sent me his bill for the last two 
months, and I have agreed to pay the money into tlie liauds of his 
brother at Madrid, but I presume the balance in my favor may be from 
50 to 60 pounds sterling. 



Believe me, &C., 



PASCHAL I)E GAYANGOS. 



Xj:av Oii leans, Febrnary 10, 184'J. 
To R. M. Saunders, Esi^,, 

Minister Plenipoteniiary : 
Dear Sir: I hasten to acknowledges the receipt of your letter of the 
1st of »Tanuary, inclosing one from Mr. de Gayaugos dated at Seville on 
the 25th of Decend)er last. 1 am delighted at the information that his 
researches have been so very successful, and that he has again discov- 
ered some important i)apers. 

As to your inquiry whether the documents already procured sluill be 
kept until the whole be complete, I think the best plan wimhl be to send 
by the first safe conveyance whate>'er may be on hand. On your re- 
turn to the United States, to which you allude, you might then bring 
with you either the balance or whatever might be ready at the time. 

1 am exceedingly anxious to lay my hands on the long expected his- 
torical treasure, whicli I owe to your kind exertions and to the en- 
lightened researches of ]\rr. de Gayangos, to whom I beg you to present 
my warmest acknowledgments. 
1 am, »S:c., 

CHAKLES GAYARKE. 



Madrij), January I'o^ 1849. 
To the Honorable Charles Gayarre, 

Secretary of Staie : 

Sir: I herewith inclose Mr. Gayangos' statement of his accounts. 
He informs me he has copied everything to be found in Seville — that 
there are some of the i)apers not sent from liere, which he will forthwitli 
examine and have coi)ied. 
I am, «&c., 

]{. M. SAUNDEKS. 



Mr. (1(11/(1 II t/on' account. 

Received a (haft i n May on Messrs. O'Shea & Co : 5, (joo 

ill August 7,0.^)U 

ill Seville, !|2.'$9.7.'j 4,79.5 

ill Matlrid *. l' 000 

17,845 

For tlire*' c|nartei\s' salary, at the rate of $1,000 a year, fnnii the Lst of April to 

the :31at of December, 1848 if,, 000 

Journey to Siiiianeas andltaek, iiicliiding traveling and other expenses diirinj; 

an absence of Ki days 1, '^oo 

Journey to Seville and baik L 000 



THE EARLY HLSTORY OF LOUISIANA. 19 

Keiils. 
Extiiioidiuarv expenses duriug four luontlis speut at Seville, from the 7th of 

An<> list to the 7th of December, 1848, at the rate of $1.50 per day 4, 000 

Discount on bauk notes received in May, 6 per ceut. on 5,000 180 

Discon ut on 7,050 received in August, at the rate of :{| per cent 245 

Paid for transcripts at Madrid 750 

Simaucas 800 

Seville :i,600 

Amount of expenditure 26, 855 

Money received 17, 845 

Balance due to me 9, 010 

Madrid, A2)}-il 2, 1 849. 
To Honorable Charles GA^'ARRE, 

Secretary of State : 

Dear Sir: I herewith inclose two notes from Mr. Gayangos, that you 
may see the difficnlties he has to encounter and how the matter stands 
at present. On the receipt of the first note, I called on the under sec- 
retary of state, informed him as to what I had heard in regard to the 
order given by the Duke of Sotomayor, whilst minister of state, that 
the papers in the archi\'es of the foreign office should not be examined, 
because of their implicating in some way his father whilst minister in 
the United States. I told him in plain terms unless I was allowed to 
have access to those papers 1 should be under the necessity of address- 
ing a strong note of remonstrance to the minister, stating the grounds 
of the refusal, aiul that I should send a copy of my note to the governor 
of Louisiana; that I thouglit it nuich better the papers should be ex- 
amined, and that copies of such alone should be taken as the mhiister 
should not ol)iect to. I received, within a few days after, a note from 
the minister of state, saying there were no papers in the foreign office 
relating to the history of liouisiana, but that all such were to be found 
in the office of grace and Justice, to which 1 should ha^•e free access. 
You will learn by Mr. (rayangos's last note what has been the result. 
I doubt not the papers which we are most anxious to get have been 
al)stracted, but I shall not fail, if possible, to get those which relate to 
the AVilkinson affair. 

I have said toMr. (layangos that you would feel greatly disappointed 
should you fail to get everything to be had, and that for the sum ap- 
propriated; that I could not ex('eed that sum, and I yet hoped he 
might be able to accomplish it. 

1 still tiatter myself that before I may leave for my return to the 
United States we shall eftect everything which may be practicable. 
I am, &c., 

K.'M. SAU^^DEKS. 




March U, 1840. 
To E. M. Saunders, Es(i , 

Minister Plenipotentiarij : 

Dear Sir: 1 have been engaged for the last two weeks in hmkiug 

over the papers in the ar<;hives of the foreign office. The archivero, for 

whom I have procured a letter of introduction, has been exceedingly 

:ind, giving me every facility for investigation. Unluckily, the papers 

V^e now to be removed to another part of the palace, owing to the cir- 

N^stance of a private theater being now built in the very rooms 

jrly occupied by the said archives, which circumstance has not only 



20 THE EARLY HlJSTOliY 01' LOUISIANA. 

impeded my researches, but I am afraid will also render them exceed- 
ingly slow for the future. I mention this because I Avish you to take 
note of all the difficulties throwu in my way, and the consequent loss of 
time which they are daily causing- me in the fultillment of the duties 
which I have accepted. 

I have, however, seen enough to convince me that all the secret pajters 
concerning Louisiana aTe kept in these archives, and that ^h: Gayarre 
"will have nothing to wish for if we are allowed to penetrate into it. Of 
course the archivero has only pennitted me to look at the papers on the 
outside, saying, as I apprehended he would, that without a .special order 
from the minister he could not take upon himself to let me take notes. 

You know as well as myself the jealousy and mistrust by which the 
Spanish Government is actuated in such matters. You know, also, that 
the Marquis of Casa Irujo would never grant the required permission, 
and I have been told that he gave strict orders to Senor Oaballero about 
the matter. Xow, if you think that by making application to Senor 
Pidal, his successor in oftice, you can get admittance for me into these 
archives, you had better do it at once. But if you are not sure of suc- 
cess, I had better try what I can do myself. I Avill call on Senor Pidal 
and tell him that I am engaged in writing a history of French Louisiana ; 
perhaps I will raise no suspicions, and we shall obtain what Ave want. 
Whatever you determine upon I shall be glad to know it as soon as 
possible, in order to lose no time, &(•. 

PASCUAL 1)E (iAYA:N^GOS. 



Makch 31, 1841>. 
To K. M. Saunders, Esq., 

Minister IHeuipoieniiary : 

Dear Sir: I have been lucky enough to discover, among a mass of 
papers lying in the greatest possible confusion in the office of the Min- 
isterio de Grm-ia y Jnstieia, t^'eccion dc Indias^ to Avhich I had free access, 
duplicates of some of the very pajjers Avhich I saw in the office of foreign 
affairs, and which ha^e been denitnl to us. Of c<mrse, I have not found 
the correspondence of ^Martinez de Lmjo, our minister in the United 
States between the years 1705-78, or that of his suecesstn-, Gardoijui, 
nor the papers which are missing ujton th.e secret negotiatioiis of LJriga- 
dier-General Wilkinson, with the court of Si)ain. 

The state of those archives, 1 au) sorry to say, is as lamentably bad as 
any I have yet seen. Great masses of papers throwu confusedly on 
large deal tables or covering the lioors of wide, desolate rooms; no 
indexes whatever, and the clerks as ignorant of Louisiana atl'airs as if 
that State had never formed ]»art of the Si>anish monarchy, I have, 
however, gained the i)rincipal point, which is free access to the pajjcrs. 
and permission to take with me a scribe, to take such transcrii)ts as may 
be necessary ; although I aj)prehend that, owing to the confusion I allude 
to, it will give me immense trouble, and will take much more time than 
I anticipated. The archives, moreo\ er, will be shut till after Easter. 

As the sum apiuopriated by the State of Louisiana may not be sutti- 
cient to cover all e\[)enses, and it is not i>robab]e that a tVesh grant is 
made, as I recollect my having told you atone time that J considered tlie 
$2, ()()() voted quite sullicient for all ])ur]M»ses, i am willing to go oii ' 
Avorking gratis, and to have transcrij)ts made at my own expense, shouJliO 
the investigation 1 am Jiow making in the archives of (Irm-ia y ffust' 
de Indias pioducii nioiii materials than the fun<ls in your hands \v4'y[!2 



THE EARLY HISTORY OF LOUISIANA. 21 

afford transcribing', &c. ; for, owing- to the dilator}^ proceedings of onr 
blessed government (1 Avonld rather call it disgovernment), owing to the 
number of archives scattered over the country, and last, not least, 
owing to ignorance of the archiveros, I cannot but help tliinkiug that 
that much time has necessarily been lost which might otherwise have 
been most usefiilly employed, had all the papers been together in the 
same place, and kept with anything like order — and although it is no 
fault of mine nor of yours, yet I consider myself bound to make this 
sacriiice in behalf of the State of Louisiana. 

I inclose the account for the last quarter, and shall feel obliged if, 
after your perusal and approbation of the same, jou send me a check 
for the amount. 

I remain, &c., 

PASCUAL DE GAYA^GOS. 

Reals. 
Kooei ve<l on the 20tli Febniaiy, on a clieck ou Messrs. O'Sliea 1, 000 

For a (quarter's honorary, at $1,000 a year 5, 000 

Paid for transcripts and paper 1, 425 

Carnage of a package fi"om Seville by coach 39 

Total 6,454 

Deduct 1,000 

Halancidne ^... 5,454 



New Orleans, May 24, 1849. 
To K. M. Saunders, Esq., 

Minister Plen ipotentiary : 
Dear Sir : I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your letter 
of the Ud of April, in which you inform me of the diiificulties which Mr. 
de Gayangos has still to encounter. He has already overcome many 
obstacles, and I hope that those which continue to be in his way will 
not prevent him from executing the task he has undertaken as com- 
pletely as may be desired by the State of Louisiana. I cannot under- 
stand the objection Avhich the Duke of Sotomayor has to the examina- 
tion of the corresponcU?nce of his father whilst minister of Spain to 
Washington. That, in connection with the i^rovince of Louisiana, his 
father should have favored the interests of Spain in i)reference to those 
of the United States is but what was to be expected from a Si)anish 
minister. It was his duty; and the proof it, far from committing^ his 
memory, would raise it higher in the estinmtion of his countrymen, and 
could not be resented in this country. We are too i^atriotic not to appre- 
ciate patriotism in others. I still hope that the contracted view taken 
of this matter by the Spanish ministry will not be of long- duration, 
and that Mr. de Gayangos Avill in tlie end be allowed to make as full an 
investigation in the archives as may be necessary for our historical 
purposes. The information which I have received that the transcripts of 
valuable papers have been made is highly interesting, and 1 am very 
anxious that all the copies on hand should be transmitted as soon as 
j30ssible. 

I am, &G., 

CHARLES GAYARRE. 



22 THE EARLY HISTORY OF LOUISIANA. 

To the Hon. Charles Gayarre, 

Secretary of State : 

Dear Sir : The inclosed letter from Mr. Gayanjios I have this moment 
received. You will see what he says. I have only to remark that I 
think for the first quarter he did very little — so that, in fact, that should 
be considered. I have told him I cannot bind you for any further pay- 
ment; that wlien the whole business was complete tlie legislature would 
be able to decide what would be right. You will say whether I am to 
give the price, or what sum, foi- tlie work referred to, should the author 
consent in discharge of it. 

As I do not expect to leave before September, I may possibly- get your 
answer. If not, 1 would leave authority with my successor to open it, 
and follow your directions. I shall likely send the manuscripts with my 
own baggage to Xew York, wliere I shall leave tliem or have them 
sent over to you. I have paid to Mr. Gayangos the balance in my 
hands. A full statement shall be sent you when the matter is closed. 
Verv respectfullv, iS:c., 

E. M. SAUNi>EES. 

Madrid, July 13, 1<S4(). 
To U. M. Saunders, Esq., 

Minififer PJenipotenthiry : 

Sir: According to your directions, I have placed in Mr. Sawyer's 
hands that portion of the Louisiana i>apers which are now ready, being 
chiefly selections from Seville and Simancas. I still retain some by me, 
as I hud 1 must refer to them occasionally. I would have sent them 
much sooner — indeed, almost immediately after you expressed that 
wish — had I known then where Mr. Sawyer was lodging, but on calling 
at his old rooms in the Calle de Peligros, I was told that he had left, 
without any reference to the place of his removal, and I naturally con- 
eluded he was at Aranjue/. 

That gentleman tells me that your departuie being now ])ostpoued till 
September, you wish, if possible, to have all the juipers for tlie end of 
the next luontli, in order to take them with you to America. Ilowsoon 
the work of revision and selection in which I am now engaged may be 
completed I cannot exactly say, but I do not think it can be done before 
the middle of October, owing to many reasons. First of all, 1 find that 
the archives are about to be shut for three weeks, being what is called 
summei' vacations. Secondly, this de])artment seems to contain as much 
interesting matter as any I have yet visited. Thirdly, the papers them- 
selves are in greater contusion than either at Seville or Simancas, being 
chiefly remnants of the various colonial othces which ought long ago to 
have been sent to Seville, but here remained behind by some una<*count- 
able event. Fourthly, the keeper hardly knows himself what i>ai)ers he 
has under his care. Every second day I find on my table a large bundle 
of papers, most times without any label or ticket attached to it, and 
when that one is examined and dis])osed of another is brought in, with- 
out the least order as to cliroiiology or subject. 

Vou may easily conceive that under such iiicunistances, ;uid there 
being not at these archives any sort of registei-book or index to the 
Lonisiiina ])iii»ers — wliich, by the way. are always mixed with those of 
I'^loiida, so that I have always to sei)arate them — it is impossible for me/ 
to calculate the extent of the work to be done, and therefore how loii/ 
I may be em]»loye<l about it. All I can say is that 1 shall use all d/oo 
genc«' and spe«'d; indeed, it is my interest to do so, for as you will/ooo 



/ 



THE EARLY HISTORY OF f.OULSIANA. 2.'> 

by tbe iiielosod, being- an account of the expenses incurred in the last 
(juarter, 1 am actually Avorking without remuneration at all, and I Avill 
continue to do so for some time to come, besides having- to i)ay out of 
my pocket all expenses of transcribing, porter's fees, ^:c., wliicli will 
form on tbe whole a considerable sum. 

As 1 had once the honor of proposing to you, having perhaps impru- 
dently engaged myself to complete tbe examination and inspection of 
tbis department [Gracia y Jmtleia de Inclias), I consfder myself in duty 
bouiul t() complete the same, wha.te\er may be tbe personal inconveni- 
ence and expense resulting from it. But, at tbe same tinu>, I do not feel 
myself obliged to do the same in the archives of the foreign department, 
should an order for admission be at last granted, as J have sonu- reason 
to believe it will be hereafter, on my personal a])i)lication. Nor do I feel 
bound to make any further investigations than those actually going on, 
and which, you may rely on it, will be done in conscience, and as 
accurately as if they were for myself. 

I lay a stress on this circumstance, because, as I said before, I have 
some hopes of getting, at a future period, admission to the foreign de- 
partment, and will perhaps furnish you with a list of the papers relat- 
ing to Louisiana wliich are to be found there, and which you were oiti- 
cially informed did not exist in the archives of that office; and I may, 
likewise, have access to a private collection of original papers belong- 
ing to a descendant of one of the governors of Louisiana, among which 
there is, f am told, an xcellent history of Louisiana, written in French, 
by a gentleman of the name of Senlis, in his own handwriting, being 
original, and never jn-inted. The gentleman 1 allude to resides at Cu- 
enca, and is now traveling in France, lie is not ex]»ected till the end 
of the year; but when he does return 1 will communicate with him, and 
ascertain wliether he wants to part with the said pai)ers, an^l what price 
be wants, and I shall not fail to inform Mr. Gayarre of the result. But- 
should the oAvner of the papers refuse to part Avith them, and consent 
only to allow the perusal and copying of the same, T do not consider 
myself bound to incur any more expenses or do any work witliout an 
adequate renuineration. This being understood, I will finish wduit 1 
have in hand, and if, on the 1st of September, 1 should find that all tbe 
papers are not yet transcribed, 1 will only give you what 1 ha\^e, trust- 
ing to another opportunity for the <leparture of the remainder. 

My account for the last quarter is 4,0lil reals, but as there only re- 
mains of the a])propriated money in your hands 2,(541 reals, 1 uuist of 
course be contented with that. If my account of the sums receixed of 
you at different times be right, ami I beg you to collate it and rectify 
the mistake if any, I w ill feel obliged by your remitting the said bal- 
ance, w^hatever i j may be. 
I remain, &c., 

PASCUAL DE GAYANGOS. 



Washington, Kovcmber 14, 1849. 

To the lion. Charles Gay^akke, 

Secretary of State : 

Dear Sir: I have the pleasure of informing you of my having ship- 

' y the steamer Ohio, which sailed from New York on the 13th in- 

a box containing- the documents as collected by Mr. Gayaiigos. 

myself you will receive them in due time, and if they shall 



24 THE EARLY HISTOEY OF LOUISIANA. 

uuswer your expectations, I shall feel fully compensated for any trouble \ 
I may have bad in procuring" tbem. I forward a statement of tbe pay- 
ments. 

Witb great respect, &q., 

R. M. SxVUNDERS. 

7?. Af. SauDders in acconiii, ij'c, ^jc. 

Ma\-, l.-'4";. To bill on liiuing BrotluTS & Co., roceivt'd from Mr. diaries 

Gavarre , $1,000 00 

1849.' Do. on J. L. Emin6 & Co 1,000 00 

2,000 00 

May, 1848. By cash paid to Mr. Gayongas 250 00 

August. Do .' 352 70 

September. Do 239 25 

liOss of exchange 3 15 

Novembers. By cash, do 50 00 

January, 1849. By cash 450 30 

Februaiy 15 : 50 00 

March .". 272 70 

April 200 00 

.Inly 125 00 

1,993 10 
15y expenses on bf>x 6 90 

2,000 00 
November 12, 1M\}. 

R. M. SAINDEES. 



New Orleans, November 2G, 1849. 
;;o R. M. Saunders, Es(i., 

Washington City : 
Dear Sir : It gives me pleasure to acknowledge tbe receipt of your 
letter of tbe 14tb instant, and of tlie box containing tbe documents col- 
lected by Mr. Gayangos. Being busily engaged in tbe transfer of tbe 
seat of goA'crnnient, wbicli must be removed tbis week to Baton Rouge, 
I bave not bad time to look into tbose djQCuments. They sliall be laid 
before tbe legislature at its regular session in January next, and 1 bave 
no doubt tbat your services will be fully api)reciated by tliat body. I 
cbeorfully tender you my tbaidvs for tbe very courteous manner in wbicb 
yon bave received my ap])lications to you on bebalf of tbe State, and 
for tbe al)ility and untiring zeal witli wliicb you bave carried on tbe 
negotiation wbicb it became necessary for you to bav(^ with the Court 
of Spain. 

I am, «!s:c., 

CHARLES GAYARRE. 

r. S. — I shall be under obligations to you for informing me whether 
the box T bav«; received contains all the documents I am to expect. 

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